Chandra Calibration Status
CUC Meeting Oct. 10, 2012
Chandra Calibration Status
Timetable for detector QE and gain updates
Calibration updates since the 2011 CUC meeting
Cross-calibration results
On-going calibration activities
Calibration plans for the upcoming year
Timetable for Detector Gain and QE Updates
Detector
Gain Updates
QEU updates QEU updates
at present
by Dec. 2012
ACIS-S
Quarterly
None
Yearly
ACIS-I
Quarterly
None
Yearly
HRC-I
Yearly
None
None
HRC-S
Yearly
Yearly
Yearly
Calibration products released over the past year
ACIS
An updated ACIS contamination model (CALDB 4.4.1 - May 30, 2012)
Time-dependent gain corrections for epochs 47-50 ( Aug 2011 – July 2012)
HRC




HRC-I gain map for 2011 (CALDB 4.4.7 - Dec. 15, 2011)
HRC background spectra for 2011 (CALDB 4.4.7 – Dec. 15, 2011)
Updated low energy HRC-S QE (CALDB 4.4.7 – Dec. 15, 2011)
Updated HRC-I and HRC-S de-gap maps (CALDB 4.5.0 – Jun. 6,
2012)
 HRC-S gain map for new HV setting (CALDB 4.5.1 – Jul. 24, 2012)
HETG
 Updated HEG and MEG first order transmission efficiencies
(CALDB 4.4.6.1 – Dec. 1, 2012)
ACIS Contamination Model N007
Updated time-dependence
t (700 eV)
Black data points are ECS
measurements and red
and blue data points are
ACIS-I and ACIS-S
observations of A1795
ACIS Contamination Model N007
Updated spatial distribution model
D t (center to edge)
Cross-calibration with E0102
O VII
O VIII
Ne IX
Ne X
MEG and HEG first order transmission efficiency
Simultaneous fit to 30 blazars
HEG/MEG first order transmission efficiency (Capella)
Old CALDB
Old CALDB
Current CALDB
Current CALDB
July 2012 observations of Mkn 421
HETG/ACIS-S
LETG/ACIS-S
Planned AO-14 Calibration Observations
S3
700eV
543eV
chipy=930
chipy=485
chipy=170
Adjustment to low energy
HRC-S QE
Fits to co-added HZ spectra
QE adjustment was based
on the latest non-LTE pure H
model atmospheres for
HZ43 and Sirius B from the
Tubingen group
LETG/HRC-S Zeroth Order Image Distortion
0.625” radius
circle
CRSV98+99
CRSV100
Updated HRC-S De-Gap Map
Current Calibration Projects
LETG/HRC-S observations of HZ43 over the course of the mission
New HV
New HV
HRC-S High Voltage Test - Jan. 2012
LETG/HRC-S
observations of HZ43
Current Calibration Projects
LETG/HRC-S observations of HZ43 over the course of the mission
New HV
New HV
LETG/HRC-S observations of Mkn 421 with old and new HV settings
LETG/HRC-S observations of Mkn 421 with old and new HV settings
New Time-Dependent ACIS QE Maps
ACIS-I3
ACIS-S3
Stability of HRC-I QE
HZ43
2.6 ± 0.8 % yr-1
G21.5-09
Gain Calibration – ACIS-S1
ACIS Background
SAOTrace New Features – New Scattering Model
10’
Summary of Present Calibration Activities
Short term:
Release HRC-S QE for new HV setting
Release updated gain tables and OSIP files for ACIS BI chips
Release a set of time-dependent ACIS QE maps
Release Epoch F ACIS blank sky background images
Longer term:
ACIS
 Continue to improve the contamination model
 How variable is the charged particle background spectrum
 Further cross-calibration studies
HRC
Improve the calibration of the intrinsic spatial response of the HRC (e.g.,
(two gaussians plus a Lorentzian)
Monitor the decline in the gain and QE of the HRC-I and determine if a
time-dependent QE is required
Further cross-calibration studies
Update HRC-I QE map
HETG
 Develop a science thread for the analysis of HETG/ACIS-S CC-mode data
LETG
Revisit cross-calibration between LETG and HETG at short wavelengths with
the new HEG and MEG first order efficiencies.
Revisit C-K fine edge structure using new absorption coefficients for ISM C-K
edges
Improve LETG/HRC-S EE fractions (i.e., the fraction of all events extracted in
the cross-dispersion direction)
Improve the calibration of the LETGS resolving power
Comparision of optial depth at 700 eV derived from
imaging and gratings data
ECS and A1795
LETG/ACIS-S